Frozen
by LightArcher
Summary: Sheila Virne had a near-death experience as a little girl in the dead of winter. Growing up, she learns to hate the cold. But when she sees the Winter Spirit himself, Sheila discovers his friendship is valuable, especially for what Pitch has in store. Rated T for some language and violence.
1. Prologue

_[7 years ago]_

A small figure trudged through the snow. The little girl named Sheila had decided to run away from home. She planned on spending the evening at her grandma's, who lived just through the woods ahead. Bright red boots crunched at an uneven pace. The snow went past her knees, and Sheila was having trouble keeping herself steady. Her trapper's hat did little to keep the sharp sting of wind out of her eyes, as her blonde hair whipped across her face. Her fair cheeks were now a rosy red, each breath from her parted lips puffing steam into the chilled air. Still, the determined child continued on into the winter storm, armed with her Hello Kitty flashlight.

Sheila finally set foot into the woods, the trees blanketed with a fresh sheet of snow. She pulled her coat tighter around herself, hearing only the whistling wind and the soft _shhh_ of the snow. But something was wrong. Perhaps it was the snow that made her surroundings unfamiliar, or the coming darkness of night. Sheila's heart beat frantically in her chest. She looked around, but her previous tracks were now covered as the storm refused to let up. Darkness continued to fall.

Blue lips trembled. White teeth chattered violently. The beam of light flickered before the flashlight died completely. For the first time in her life, Sheila was completely alone in the cold and dark of the woods. Her eyelids drooped, and she swayed to the side before collapsing on the frozen ground. She groaned, struggling to push herself back up.

"Hey, over here!" a clear voice rang out above the wind. Through half closed eyes, the girl searched for the owner of the voice. A boy with messy white hair materialized from the trees. He wore a blue hooded sweatshirt rimmed with frost, a hooked staff in his hand. Even in the dim light, Sheila could make out his striking blue eyes.

"Follow me," he said softly, beckoning with his staff. She mumbled something in response as she staggered to her feet. Sheila blindly stumbled along behind the nice boy. He'd pause and wait for her to catch up. He'd help her to her feet if she fell.

"Almost there, you're doing great,"

_Almost where?_ she wanted to say, but her lips were too stiff to form words. Through the falling snow, Sheila could make out the outline of several figures ahead, silhouettes of loudly talking shadows. She stumbled again, her body too weak to continue. She waited for the boy to come.

"Honey, look!"

"Oh, my god! That's her! _Sheila!_"

Warmth. Voices. The comfortable rumbling of a vehicle. Sheila slowly opened her eyes, surprised to see a kind faced woman she'd never seen before. The woman smiled and gently squeezed her hand. The rumbling stopped and suddenly the ambulance doors swung open. The girl was wheeled into a long corridor. White blankets. White lights. White walls. Was this heaven? No, heaven wouldn't have a strong chemical smell. She turned her head. Where was the boy that had helped her?

A machine beeped consistently next to her. A mug of hot chocolate sat on the bedside table. White blankets. White lights. White walls. A flash of blue. The boy with the snow white hair peered in through the window, brows knit. Sheila smiled weakly, and waved a fragile hand. He responded with a thumbs up, the last thing the exhausted girl saw before slipping into unconsciousness.


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hello, everyone! This is my first story/fanfic! I love writing, so I thought I'd write this little story about Jack Frost *heavy breathing* Since you clicked on this, I'm guessing you enjoyed the Prologue? (hopefully) Feedback appreciated, hope you enjoy! -LA**

_[Present Day]_

There was darkness. Sheila could hear herself breathing deeply. Fingers moving, body stirring. A loud beeping broke the peacefulness. She grumbled and sat up, kicking off her blankets. Sheila slammed the OFF button on her alarm clock as her feet found her slippers. It was a chilly December morning, and she was her usual, cranky self. Sheila hated winter. She really did. She hated the cold, the harsh wind, the snow, the lack of sunlight; everything. Aside from the holidays, it was her least favorite time of the year. Of course, living in Minnesota didn't help much either. When it snowed eighteen inches last March, she refused to leave the house.

The girl shuffled to the bathroom, stripped off her pajamas, and hopped in the shower. Sighing as the hot water hit her back, she turned on the radio. Her mother must have already tampered with it, for all the stations had been set to Christmas music.

* * *

"Good morning, Sheila!" her mother chimed, and set a plate of fresh pancakes in front of her daughter.

"Mornin'," she croaked, taking her place at the table beside her father. Ms. Virne was the complete opposite of Sheila when it came to seasons. Her mother loved winter. She was always whipping up special winter dishes, making countless batches of holiday cookies. Her mother was extremely festive. She especially loved to take photos of the white scenery. Often times she invited Sheila to come along with her, to which she politely declined. "Such a shame," her mother would say, her lips pressed into a thin line, "you used to love this time of year!"

Mr. Virne glanced up from his coffee. "Mornin', Snow Queen," he chuckled, taking a sip from his coffee. Sheila smiled, rolling her eyes. She reached across him to grab the syrup, and proceeded to douse her pancakes.

"It's supposed to snow this week," said her father, smoothing out his newspaper, "quite a lot to," Sheila stopped, her forkful of pancake halfway to her open mouth. Her mother cooed. She forced a smile.

"Great,"

"Oh, hush," was her mother's response. Glancing at the clock, Sheila devoured the rest of her breakfast before she quickly rinsed the dishes. She hurriedly brushed her teeth, and grabbed her backpack, boots, hat, mittens, scarf, and coat before she set out through the front door.

The girl gritted her teeth as the freezing air swirled around her, chilling her very bones. Her spirit warmed a bit when she saw a familiar face at the bus stop.

"Man, Sheila, you look like you're going to Mount Everest," Ella laughed, hands shoved deep into her pockets. She rolled her eyes, punching her friend on the shoulder.

"Shut up," despite her harsh tone, she smiled.

"It's supposed to snow again this week!" said the brunette, bouncing on the balls of her feet.

"Notice how you said _again,_" Sheila groaned, "I mean, c'mon, we already have, like, two feet of the stuff."

"Aww, lighten up. Christmas isn't too far away!" she cooed, "it'll be an _extra_ white Christmas,"

There was a strong gust of wind, and a few stray strands of Ella's dark hair peaked out from under her knit cap.

"Iwishthebuswouldhurry_UP_," Sheila slurred, rubbing her mittens together. The brunette held back a giggle.

* * *

The school day dragged on. Carbon-based life forms in Chemistry. Factoring in Algebra. Analyzing another pointless book in English. The coming snowstorm didn't help Sheila concentrate on her work. She wasn't alone, however. At lunch, talk of the blizzard rippled through the cafeteria.

* * *

Sheila grunted, dropping her heavy backpack next to her bed. The girl changed into sweatpants, and fixed herself a mug of hot tea. Spreading out her papers across her desk, she took out her books, and began working through her homework.

Her parents had already gone to bed by the time she finally finished her work. After packing her book bag, Sheila took a quick shower, changed into pajamas, and settled down into her bed. She immediately fell asleep under the comfortable weight of her warm blankets.

_"Almost there, you're doing great,"_

That voice. It sounded so clear. So protective. Where had she heard it before? Sheila wandered aimlessly toward it in the dark, like a moth to a distant flame. Something inside her knew if she found the owner of the voice, it would mean safety, comfort. A pair of ice blue eyes flashed in her mind before a sharp chill ripped through her. She bolted upright in bed, her body drenched with sweat. Blood roared in her ears, like she had just run a mile. Sheila took a few deep breathes before laying down again, half hoping she'd hear the voice.

**A/N: Oooh~! Cliff hanger! (hah, not really) Chapter 2 should be up this week/weekend. If you enjoyed make sure to leave a favorite, or drop a review/follow. Until next time, folks!**

**xoxo-LightArcher**


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N: *nervous laughter* well here I am like a month later updating ^^' I was away on a trip for 3 weeks which didn't help much either, but luckily I wrote while I was away! Without further ado, here's the next chapter! Hope you enjoy, you know what to do! :D**

Sheila started off her morning like any other. Grumbling and cursing as her alarm beeped, she took her shower and got herself ready for another day of school. In order to improve her mood, she concluded she'd make _herself_ breakfast that morning. Her mother needed a well deserved break, especially with all the holiday cooking she was doing.

* * *

Sitting down at the large, oak table, Sheila stabbed a forkful of fried egg and proceeded to butter her toast.

"Weather report says to expect at least a foot of snow this week," her father said as he lifted a spoonful of cereal to his mouth.

"At least?" said Ms. Virne and pulled up a chair beside her husband.

"Yep," he responded simply with a smile on his face.

"Isn't that wonderful, Snow Queen?"

Sheila mumbled something and punched his shoulder lightly.

* * *

Sheila sat in History class, desperately trying to stay awake. Her teacher, Mr. Jebbs, droned on about the Mongols and their exceptional archery and equestrian skills in a monotone. She sat with her head in her hands, mouth agape. Suddenly, she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. A quick look at the teacher and she knew he wouldn't notice if she sneaked a peak at her phone, or if the entire school building was burning to the ground for that matter. She glanced in her lap.

_You should totally come over so we can do homework together! We can watch a movie later too :P_

It was a text from Ella.

She smiled before replying.

_Def. Can't wait! :D_

"Anyone know why Genghis Khan was so significant? Anyone? Anyone?" said Mr. Jebbs.

* * *

The day inched on. Gossip flew in the hallways like flies. Something about how Janis Harper had found the answers to the math test in the back of the textbook, scribbled crudely in pencil. Sheila rolled her eyes at the news. She couldn't wait for summer. Free of all the stress and stupid drama, she wouldn't have to worry about anything except getting a good tan. She also wouldn't have to wear ten layers to school anymore.

* * *

The two girls hopped off the school bus, boots crunching in the snow. Giggling, Ella and Sheila linked arms and hurried to the big green house at the end of the block.

Ella pushed the door open and they were immediately greeted with the familiar, warm smell of Ms. Harrison's famous cookies.

"Now or never," Sheila sighed, slamming the enormous Chemistry textbook onto table. Ella grumbled and took a bite from a cookie.

"More like give me a cyanide pill asap," she said as she dug around in her bag for her notebook.

* * *

Settling down with a bowl of popcorn between them, they sipped from steaming mugs of hot chocolate as the opening scene from "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" played on the TV.

"I love this part!" Ella laughed, knowing the film had just begun and chucked a piece of popcorn at her friend.

Sheila smiled, taking another sip from her mug. The warmth of the hot drink spread slowly through out her entire body. Her eyelids drooped..

Sheila felt herself yet again in the same black abyss. She couldn't see anything except gently falling snow which glowed a faint white, illuminating the darkness. A voice echoed in the darkness and a young boy appeared. His mirage danced about in a blur, beckoning her forward with a staff.

_"You'll be safe, I promise"_ he said. A sense of relief and trust washed over her and she nodded automatically. She followed him through the dark, suddenly aware of how cold she was. A sharp draft nipped at her cheeks and the snow continued to swirl around her.

* * *

"C'mon, this isn't funny anymore! Wake up!"

It was Ella's voice. Sheila's eyes fluttered open. She was gazing at the ceiling at a funny angle, until she realized she lay spread-eagled on the floor, staring up into her Ella's eyes.

"You were shaking and mumbling in your sleep," she murmured, her knuckles were ghost white from clutching the blankets.

"S-sorry," she stammered. Sheila felt horrible for worrying her friend. "I should head home. I promise I'm okay now," A few tense moments passed before Ella nodded, but the look on her face as Sheila gathered her things said she didn't believe her.

* * *

"I'm home!" she called as she hurried to close the door behind her. Her mother's head poked out from the kitchen.

"Aah, how was studying?"

"Fine,"

"Fine?"

Fine."

There was a brief pause.

"Alright, then. Come help your father set the table, will you?"

Christmas music played softly in the background as the chinking of plates and silverware filled the dining room. Sheila dug into her spaghetti, content with the warm food. Outside, wind howled against the glass. She shivered against her sweater.

"How was your day today, honey?" her father said, wiping his mouth with a napkin.

"Boring," Sheila managed to say through a mouthful of pasta. Her parents snorted.

"Same here, Snow Queen,"

"Dad, will you _please _stop calling me that?"

"Aah, lighten up, you used to love winter! We'd always go ice skating together, do you remember that?" he laughed heartily before his tone softened. "but then again, I wouldn't blame you after what happened that night you ra-"

"Dear," her mother cut in sharply.

"Sorry, honey, it kinda just slipped out.."

Sheila was suddenly very curious.

"Hold on, I want to know. What happened that night?"

sighed softly before giving a short nod to let her husband continue.

"Well, your mother and I had had a nasty argument that night on Christmas Eve, horrible timing I know. We were fighting over something completely stupid-"

"Because your father dropped the Christmas pudding on the floor," Sheila's mother chuckled lightly at the memory.

"Exactly. You being the brave little girl you are, decided you had had enough and to spend the night at Grandma's. Except you didn't tell anyone where you were going and a storm had started to pick up,"

"Sorry," Sheila said automatically.

"It's alright, honey," replied her mother.

"It was already dark when we realized you were gone," he continued, "And when we finally found you..you..were unconscious in the snow," Ms. Virne's hands trembled. Sheila shifted her green eyes to her plate.

"God, we were so scared.." her mother murmured softly.

"You had to go to the hospital, Sheila. Frozen stiff. The doctors knew what to do to warm you back up. They said another hour and you would've-" her father clenched his jaw, eyes darting around the room. Sheila reached out and touched her parents' hands and forced a weak smile.

"We knew someone was watching over you, though," said her mother. "something protected our baby from harm," she smiled warmly and gazed at her daughter.

* * *

The week continued its tortuous routine of school until finally, the long awaited snowstorm arrived. For the next four days, everyone was stuck inside as the blizzard raged. The wind pounded relentlessly, whistling eerily against the houses. Sheila didn't want to admit it after what her family had discussed over dinner, but there was suddenly something about snowstorms that made her feel at peace. She settled herself comfortably in her bed, head propped in her hands. Sheila gazed out the window for a few minutes, an hour, then two, until finally she rolled over on her back and waited for sleep to come.

That morning, it looked like everything had been chanted overnight. Sunlight sparkled like diamonds against the pure whiteness of the snow. The entire block looked like an array of iced cakes. Children were already playing outside despite the early hour. A perfect snow day.

Among the neighborhood kids already starting to assemble a snowman stood a young boy Sheila didn't recognize. He was facing away from her bedroom window and looked rather strange. The cold didn't seem to bother him, as he was only wearing a simple blue hooded sweatshirt and brown trousers. Not only was he barefoot, but he had a mat of messy, white hair that matched the glistening scenery. He shouldered a crooked staff, grinning at the giggling children. Despite how unusual he looked, there was a hint of familiarity. And then it all came back to her. The dreams. The voice! She opened her window and shivered as the cold air rushed into her room.

"Hey, kid! You want a coat or somethin'?" The young man looked rather surprised and whirled around towards her window.

"M-me?" the boy pointed to his chest before looking over both shoulders. Even from afar, she could see his ice blue eyes widen in surprise.

"Yeah..?" Sheila replied. The look of disbelief was still plastered on his face before he flew up into her direction, hovering outside her window. Now it was her turn to look surprised. He just continued to smile, resting his forearms on the ledge.

**A/N: Whew! This was a longer chapter, I hope this makes up for the long wait? I've already fleshed out most of the plot, I just need to work out smaller details. Which means, I should be updating more frequently! If you enjoyed make sure to leave a favorite, or drop a review/follow. Until next time, folks!**

**xoxo-LightArcher**


	4. Chapter 3

**A/N: Alright, things will start to pick up from here, I promise! I've finally cranked out almost all of my ideas/plot for this story so updating should be smoother from here on out!**

Sheila blinked her green eyes in surprise.

"You-you just f-floated up to my window!"

"Thank you, captain obvious!" The boy smirked in response. Sheila laughed lightly, a look of disbelief still plastered on her face. She recognized the boy from her dreams, but decided not to mention it.

"I'm Jack Frost, a Guardian," he said, leaning comfortably on his staff in midair. Sheila's eyes widened even more, if that was even possible.

"Jack Frost. As in, _Jack Frost nipping at your nose,_ Jack Frost?"

Jack pondered for a moment, ice blue eyes gazing skyward.

"Yep," he replied simply, "I mean, that's not _all_ I do. I don't know why people always associate that song with me..." he muttered the last part to himself, frowning slightly.

"Well..what else do you do?" Sheila's question snapped him back into the present.

"I'll show you!" he laughed and his eyes danced with mischievous light. The Winter Spirit stretched out his staff and he zoomed forward, his fingers skimming the snow as he swooped over the frozen ground. He flew once, twice, three times around the neighborhood kids, snow swirling in his wake. Wind started to pick up as Jack circled the neighborhood and his joyful laughter echoed off the houses. With a final wave of his staff, a fresh round of light snow began to fall before he returned to Sheila's window.

The girl beamed before casting her gaze down to the children building snow forts, shrieking with delight. Amid Jack's demonstration, not one of them seemed to notice his presence.

"They can't see me," he muttered gloomily, "I mean, hardly anyone does anymore," Jack paused and lifted his eyes to look at her. "But you can! I'm surprised, I can't remember the last time someone your age saw me," She had to admit, she honestly had _no idea_ how and why she started believing in him.

Sheila smiled sheepishly, having realized most of Jack's believers were surely small children.

"B-but that's not a bad thing!" he said, fearing he had compared her to youngsters. "Almost all of them believe in North, so-"

"North?" Sheila asked.

"Er-Santa!"

"Santa?!"

"Yeah! You know-" Jack puffed out his cheeks and belly and waddled through the air.

"I know who he is," Sheila giggled. Jack stopped his imitation to chuckle as well.

"The tooth fairy, easter bunny, sandman-the other Guardians, we're all real!"

Sheila raised her eyebrows.

"That's..that's amazing,"

There was a pause, long enough to hear the kids in the streets howling with joy as they packed snow together.

"I'm glad I have someone to talk to now," he smiled and shouldered his staff.

"Same here,"

"Sheila! Come downstairs, please!" It was her mother's voice.

"Oh, sorry, I have to go," Jack nodded understandingly. "Swing by later when you have a chance, okay?" she said.

"Of course," he smiled. He reached out a hand to touch the glass. Immediately frost crackled from underneath his fingertips, forming an intricate pattern on the window.

"Bye, Sheila," he waved before he flew off and disappeared. The girl chewed her lower lip, fighting a smile. She had just befriended the Winter Spirit.

Sheila descended the stairs and found her mother reading the paper, sipping coffee.

"The school just called, snow day!" Ms. Virne grinned. There was a small pause before Sheila reacted, similar to waiting for a video to buffer. The plows usually cleared the streets so quickly, but with the roads so icy, school had been cancelled anyway. This was her first snow day! Not to mention, today was supposed to be Sheila's last school day before winter break. Instead, her vacation would begin a day early!

"_Yes!_" she exclaimed, pumping a fist into the air. She danced once around the kitchen before her mother skirted around her to busy herself with preparing Sheila's breakfast.

"What do you plan on doin' today?" asked Ms. Virne as she poured pancake batter into the pan. Sheila shrugged, "Probably hang out with Ella, can she come over?"

"'Course,"

Ella arrived with a bagful of movies later that morning. Despite the early feel of Christmas in the air, the two preferred to have a superhero movie marathon. Sheila's mother fixed them hot apple cider, and as the pair watched Batman race through Gotham on his Batmobile, Sheila thought that this was an excellent start to her holiday break.

The sun's golden rays reflected brightly over the frozen horizon as it descended into the west. After they had finished The Avengers, Sheila walked Ella home. Sheila's father came home from work and the Virne family enjoyed a hot, filling dinner of beef stew and potatoes. After the dishes had been washed and promptly put away, Sheila excused herself for the night and made her way back upstairs to her room. She changed into her pajamas and brushed her teeth before sprawling onto her bed. Sheila paged through a magazine on winter fashion before there was a soft tapping against the glass.

"Hi, Jack," she opened her window and he floated inside. Immediately the room plunged into coldness as Jack entered. Sheila shivered violently.

"Oh..-I-I'm sorry, maybe I should go?" Jack suggested, an embarrassed look on his face.

"No! Er-please..stay," she replied. Sheila didn't want to be rude, but she still hated the cold. "It's just me. I've always been sensitive to the cold." the boy nodded.

She sat down on her bed and Jack seated himself on the floor in front of her.

"So, do you have lots of 'work' now that Christmas is around the corner?" Sheila asked.

"Mmhmm," said Jack, "North and I both have-hey! What's with those air quotes? You don't think my work is hard?"

"Well, considering the fact that you fly and-"

"Hey!"

"You know, _I_ have to go to school, it sucks. You have to sit in a desk all day and-"

"But you didn't have school today,"

"Well, yeah but-"

"Do you know why that is, Sheila?"

"That's not-"

"Because you had a snow day!"

"I give up!" Sheila exclaimed with a laugh.

The grandfather clock downstairs chimed the late hour before Sheila yawned broadly. There was a knock on her door.

"Come in," The door opened a crack and her father's face appeared.

"G'night, Snow Queen,"

"'Night, dad,"

"Snow Queen?" Jack asked, once the door had clicked shut, a puzzled look on his face.

"It's just a silly nickname," Sheila replied as she gazed shyly at the floor. "Anyway," she continued, "you should head out, I don't want the other Guardians to think anything bad happened to you," he smiled before gliding back to the window while Sheila opened it for him. "G'night, m'lady," Jack said as he bowed like a true gentleman.

"Get outta here, seriously, it's late!" He bowed once more before he took off into the night.

**A/N: Whew, another long one! Like I said, this story should move along smoother now :D If you enjoyed make sure to leave a favorite, or drop a review/follow. Until next time, folks!**

**xoxo-LightArcher**


	5. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hello, everyone! I have a rather long chapter for y'all today, and things start picking up! (ooh~!) So grab a snack, sit back, and enjoy! :)**

Sheila awoke to the smell of cinnamon and spices wafting up from the floor below. Changing into jeans and a sweatshirt, she made her way into the kitchen. Her mother was chewing on a gingerbread cookie, a glass of milk in her other hand.

"I see you've been hard at work," Sheila chuckled as she helped herself to a cookie.

* * *

After their breakfast of cookies, (which she couldn't complain) Sheila and her mother hauled up all the necessities for the Christmas tree up from the basement. Ms. Virne dug around underneath the couch cushions for the TV remote. She impatiently clicked through the channels until she found the holiday music station.

The two went to work, hanging up colorful ceramic ornaments, tinsel, and other decorations on their tree. Finally, Sheila plugged in the extension cord and the two stepped back to admire their work. They both cooed instantly. Soft white lights twined carefully around the center of the tree illuminated the entire living room with a slight glow. The Christmas ornaments that the Virne family had carefully handmade sparkled with the pigments of the ordained tree. For the final touch, Sheila grabbed a chair and hoisted herself up, placing her handmade macaroni star (she had made in kindergarden) at the top of the tree. Ms. Virne clapped enthusiastically.

"Finally done," she sighed, falling on her side as she sprawled onto the couch.

"I think this deserves another cookie break," Sheila cackled and practically flew into the kitchen.

* * *

After their dinner, the family gathered in the living room. Her father let out a low whistle when he saw the shimmering Christmas tree. Sheila and her mother beamed proudly.

It was nights like these when Sheila actually _enjoyed_ winter. Mr. Virne poked around in the fireplace and before long, had a roaring fire going. Along with the crackling and sighing wood, the iconic jingle of "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" played softly to fill the peaceful silence. Ms. Virne was fiddling with a crossword puzzle, mumbling something about finding a five letter word. Sheila wasn't doing anything special in particular. She sat cross-legged on the couch, gazing outside their sliding glass doors leading out to the patio. Her eyes drifted to the snow and she wondered the next time Jack would come visit her again. She concluded he probably _was_ in fact busy. With Christmas coming, the Winter Spirit obviously had loads of errands to complete.

* * *

Sheila said goodnight to her parents before heading upstairs. She grabbed her laptop and turned it on. After waiting for a few minutes for the computer to boot up, she opened a new tab and began searching for possible gifts for her family and Ella.

She bookmarked page after page, before realizing she needed more money if she wanted to buy all these fabulous presents. Indeed, most of the things Sheila had bookmarked probably weren't the best choices. An autographed Sydney Crosby jersey for her father, a new coffee machine for her mother, and a collector's edition box set of Harry Potter goodies for Ella. Oops. Laughing at her own passiveness, she opened another window before signing into her family's Netflix account. It was now vacation, which meant she _needed_ to catch up on The Walking Dead.

She must have fallen asleep, for the next thing she knew, she was jolted awake just as a zombie was slashed to bits by one of the main protagonists. She had blown through almost half a season. Sheila groaned in protest, slamming her keyboard lightly. And then, there was a knock. She froze. Oh, no, what time was it! She glanced quickly at the digital clock on her bedside table. _3:12!_ She must have woken up her parents somehow and now they had come to complain! _I might as well kiss my presents goodbye!_ Sheila cried internally in mock agony.

"It's open," she whispered. There was a pause before her mother came in the room, clicking the door shut behind her. But something was wrong. Despite the late hour, her mother hadn't changed. Her short light hair was rather untidy, like she had been constantly running her hands through it.

"Mom? What's wrong?"

An uncomfortable silence.

"Dear, Ella's mother called,"

Sheila suddenly felt a wave of uneasiness come over her. Why would she be calling at such a late hour?

"...Okay? And...?"

"She's..oh, honey, I don't know how to tell you this," her mother paused for a moment and inhaled slowly, her breath rattling around in her throat, "she's missing. The police already came by but-but they don't have any leads yet but I'm _sure_..." her voice trailed off.

Sheila's heart plummeted into her stomach as realization began to sink in. Her body began to tremble violently and she felt the familiar burning sensation of tears in her eyes.

"...W-What?"

"Ms. Harrison said you can go over now if-"

"How can she be _missing_?! I-I just saw her yesterday!" she choked out, her voice wavering. Her green eyes flickered to her hands, her vision fuzzy with tears. Sheila's breath hitched in her throat and she fidgeted with her thumbs. Right over left. Left over right. Sheila needed to get out of here, the walls of her own room seemed to be closing in on her quickly.

"I'm goin'," she murmured. Ms. Virne was silent as Sheila pulled a jacket over her pajamas and raced downstairs.

Outside, it was still, silent. The darkness threatening to swallow her whole, save for the streetlights flooding with warm light. Her boots hardly touched the snow as she raced down the street to the familiar green house. She had walked down this path almost everyday since preschool. Would this be her last time doing so?

Sheila knocked on the door and immediately it was opened by Ms. Harrison. She had a bathrobe wrapped tightly around herself. Her eyes were bloodshot with almost a glazed look to them, dark circles giving her complexion a hollow look.

"Sheila, honey," she whispered and forced a weak smile. Her voice sounded stale and tired. She offered her arms in an embrace and Sheila nearly collapsed into them.

"Can I go see her room?" she asked once the two had composed themselves. Ella's mother nodded and smiled, lips tight against her teeth.

She silently ascended the staircase until she reached the landing. Sheila could navigate these halls in her sleep. But she couldn't. She wasn't asleep, she wasn't dreaming. All of this was real. Ella had vanished into thin air without a trace. Sheila entered the second room on the right and flicked on the lights. Immediately her eyes contracted painfully and she mumbled something as she rubbed them. Ella's room looked exactly the way it should have. Not a thing had been touched. Her bed was made, of course. Books tucked neatly away into the shelves. Her DVDs stacked in a small pile at the foot of her bed. Even her painting easel and other art supplies she kept in the far corner of the room were perfectly in their proper places.

Ella's room truly showed off her artistic talents. She had painted the walls herself, small murals of things that were important to her. Sheila glanced at the easel and was surprised to find a canvas sitting there. She stepped closer to take a better look.

A sigh escaped her lips. Ella had painted a beautiful figure of a human-like peacock. Perfect, even strokes of her paintbrush depicted colorful feathers. The young woman's round face was turned cheerfully toward Sheila, a blush coloring her delicate features. Sheila touched the rough surface of the canvas. Whoever this woman was, she certainly had an impact on Ella. But everything was different now. She felt anger boiling deep in her core, bubbling and frothing, threatening to spill forth. How could some sick _freak _snatch Ella away like this? Who would be disturbed enough to kidnap a young girl? A girl with so much life! But then again, what if Ella hadn't been kidnapped? What if she had run away?

Sheila's sudden rage was now causing her to see spots. She hurled one of Ella's pillows across the room and it landed with a soft thud against the wall. Then, something small and green caught her eye. Where the pillow had been was a small stack of thick, crisp bills. With her brows furrowed, she thumbed quickly through the cash. She gasped. There was more than one hundred dollars here! Sheila quickly lifted up every pillow on her bed, and sure enough, there was a pile of money under each.

It didn't make sense; why would Ella hide money in such an obvious location? Sheila fished out all of the bills and carefully placed them in a dresser drawer.

"Can I take this home, Ms. Harrison?" Sheila asked, holding up Ella's last painting.

"Of course, dear," she replied with the same tired voice. Sheila nodded and murmured a thank you before stepping out the door, back into the cold street.

* * *

Sheila straightened the canvas above her dresser. She stepped back and gave a slight smile before changing back into her pajamas and crawled into bed. After adjusting the blankets around herself, Sheila stared at the painting from across the room. She chewed her lower lip. It seemed Ella was a bit closer to her now.

**A/N: Poor Ella :( Next chapter means Sheila will find some answers! If you enjoyed make sure to leave a favorite, or drop a review/follow. Until next time, folks!**

**xoxo-LightArcher**


	6. Chapter 5

**A/N: I had a bit of trouble sorting out some minor details, but I figured everything out so we're all good! Without further ado, here's the next chapter! Thanks to everyone for all the wonderful follows and reviews, you guys are my inspiration to keep this story going! Here we go...**

Sheila slept rather strangely. She lapsed in and out of consciousness. With every blink, Ella appeared in her mind's eye. Her brown eyes were opened wide in anguish and torment. She could hear Ella's pleading whispers for help with each nightmare.

She awoke in a cold sweat, her light hair sticking to her neck. She was surprised to find the sunlight streaming into her room from a strange angle.

She had slept through the entire day.

Sheila kicked off the blankets and sat upright on her bed. Burying her head in her hands, she cried softly. Hot tears stung her eyes and Sheila didn't move to wipe them away. Rather, she welcomed them.

And then, there was a soft tapping against the glass. Sheila glanced up quickly. Through her tears, she could see Jack waiting patiently outside. He grinned broadly when she caught his eye before his face fell into fright. _Crap. _She fumbled with the latch a few times before she finally got the window open.

"What's the matter? What happened?"

"N-nothing-"

"C'mon, don't lie to me, Sheila." he brushed away a tear with the pad of his thumb.

She took a shaky breath before speaking, "I...I don't know what to tell you, Jack," There was a short pause before Jack seated himself next to the girl. "To be honest, I don't even know what to think of everything,"

"What do you mean?" he inquired softly.

"Ella...m-my best friend. She was taken from me."

"Taken?"

"Yes. She's...she's missing. Just vanished, like she fell off the grid or something. Happened about two nights ago." A small silence manifested in which Sheila's choked breathing could be heard.

"I'm sorry to hear that,"

"Thanks," she sniffed in response. Jack wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders and Sheila tried her hardest not to shiver. He made a sound that sounded like laughter. She looked at him and found Jack with his eyes locked on Ella's painting.

"I see you've met Tooth,"

"Huh?"

There was a look of puzzlement on Jack's face. "The tooth fairy? Or do you not know who _that_ is either? I think another imitation is in order.." he tried to stand up but Sheila smiled and grabbed his arm. She felt a little bit better already, like her spirit had been rekindled.

"I..I didn't know that's what she was," she gestured to the canvas on the wall. "it's the last thing Ella painted before she disappeared," Sheila turned to look at Jack, surprised to see a distant look on his face, like he was trying to recall something important.

"Why would she paint Tooth?"

He snapped back into the present, his eyes flickering away from the painting to rest on Sheila. He shrugged.

"Beats me. I'll ask if she knows anything," Jack scrunched his lips. "I hate to say it, but I should get going. Lots of work to do," He frowned and fiddled with his staff. Sheila pursed her lips into a thin line. With Jack here, she finally had someone to talk to for the first time since the incident with Ella. She really hated to see him go, she wanted him to stay here with her. But, she had to respect his duties as a Guardian So, Sheila nodded simply.

Before Jack stepped out the window, he turned back to her. He tapped three fingers under his chin, a motion to keep her head high. Sheila laughed lightly and did so, her nose in the air. Jack flashed his teeth before he leaped off into the evening winter sky.

* * *

It had been countless hours since Sheila had last eaten something. Before heading downstairs to the kitchen, she stopped by the bathroom to freshen up quickly.

Her mother and father had already eaten by the looks of it. At the dinner table, there was still a set of silverware sitting there, along with some leftover casserole, still warm.

Sheila looked up from her plate as her parents seated themselves. Her father's eyes glanced at her occasionally over his glasses. Her mother sipped from a mug. The three of them sat there, not saying a word. She took a sip from her glass and munched on her dinner. For once, the silence was welcomed at the Virne table. Everyone respected it and it was like an unknown connection had been established. The Virnes knew how much Ella's disappearance had hurt their daughter and didn't press any further on the subject.

* * *

Sheila decided she needed to keep herself occupied. Too often did she find her mind drifting off to Ella and her mood would sour, which would often be followed by Sheila locking herself in her room in a haze of depression. So, she started writing letters. At first, she wrote them to Ella, but this plunged her even deeper into her heartache. Instead, the letters weren't addressed at all. Sheila wrote about how her world had been turned upside down, how nothing would be the same again without her best friend. All the words came so easily to her now. Everything she'd ever wanted to say came tumbling forth from her pen effortlessly.

* * *

After a few days, the few letters Sheila had written had grown to a healthy stack piled on her desk. It wasn't until she had set down her pen when she heard the familiar _tip tip _against the glass.

"Good to see you, Jack,"

He smiled warmly at the welcome, "I'm glad you're feeling better," Jack's lips formed an _oh,_ like he had just remembered something important and clasped his hands together.

"I talked to Tooth about Ella's painting, and I have some interesting news for you," Sheila nodded and motioned for him to sit.

"It turns out, Ella's Tooth's Keeper,"

"Keeper?"

"Mmhmm," Jack nodded in response. "It means Tooth and Ella have a very special bond. We don't really know how it's formed, but it's extremely powerful," Sheila smiled and glanced at the canvas before turning back to Jack.

"But, here's the bad part. We think Pitch has her."

She furrowed her brows in puzzlement.

"Pitch. Pitch Black, the Boogeyman," Jack added, sensing her confusion. Sheila's eyes broadened in surprise and amazement.

"What would Pitch want with her?"

"Power," he explained simply. "he's been power hungry for centuries," Sheila's eyes flittered about in concern."

"But don't worry, we'll get her back," he stated calmly and placed a reassuring hand on her arm.

"I've got to check in with the other Guardians to sort out a plan," Jack said as he stood up to leave. She stood as well, and for the first time since they met, Sheila threw her arms around him in a tight hug. _Wow_, he was cold.

"Stay safe," she murmured. She felt Jack shift before an arm wrapped around her waist.

"I will," he promised. The pair stayed in an embrace for a few seconds before Sheila broke away. She tapped her fingers under her chin and lifted her head up in farewell. Jack laughed and did the same before he stepped out of the window and disappeared from sight.

**A/N: Yay! Thanks again for all the support! ** **If you enjoyed, make sure to leave a favorite, or drop a review/follow. Until next time, folks!**

**xoxo-LightArcher**


	7. Chapter 6

**A/N: A visit from Pitch in this chapter, ooh~! I had a lot of fun writing this. Hah, I just have so much fun writing this story :'D (Mass Effect 3 inspired me for the nightmare scene :D) I'm trying very hard to keep Pitch in character as much as possible (let me know how I did) hope y'all enjoy this part!**

Slowly but surely, Sheila got back into the swing and cheer of the holiday season. The letters certainly helped, and with each passing day, she emerged from her room and began helping her parents prepare for the Christmas season. They knew that they needed to keep their daughter occupied, and they gladly obliged. Her parents provided her with endless tasks. The lights outside needed to be strung. Gifts needed to be wrapped. Classic winter delicacies needed to be cooked, and of course, Sheila needed to write her own Christmas list.

The distractions helped tremendously, and Sheila could tell that in time, everything would return to normal. She no longer felt lost and alone.

Until one night.

Her nightmares had grown out of control. Ella's cries for help had become more and more desperate. The two girls were running through a foggy, wooded area. Sheila raced ahead, her feet pounding the earth. Occasionally, she glanced back over her shoulder to beckon furiously to Ella, who seemed to be running in slow motion. A tall man dressed in black robes with pale grey skin, glossy dark hair, and gleaming yellow eyes glided silently behind Ella, his mouth twisted into a sick grin.

"C'mon, run faster!" Sheila tried to scream, but instead found her voice croak inaudibly in her throat, a common thing that happened in her nightmares. To her horror, she saw the man reach out and snatch Ella. He lifted her by the neck roughly, her feet kicking uselessly in thin air as she fought against his grip. All the while, the man kept the same smug expression.

"Sh-Sheila," she heard Ella choke out, "help! Don't let...d-don't let him take me!"

Sheila tried to run, to save her friend, but found herself rooted to the spot by an invisible force. She fought and fought, but to no success. She saw tears streaming down Ella's face as the man tightened his hold on her neck.

"Goodbye, Sheila," the man slurred in a smooth voice. Then, with a swish of his cloak, the two melted away into shadows and disappeared from sight.

She bolted upright in her bed, her body drenched in a cold sweat. Sheila screamed and screamed until her throat was hoarse. Her parents bursted into her room and flicked on the lights. Ms. Virne leaned heavily against the door frame, her hand shaking over her mouth as her father rushed to her bedside.

"Da-daddy," she mumbled through her tears.

"Shh. It's alright, baby,"

Her father pressed his lips against her forehead and brushed her damp hair away from her eyes. "it was just a dream,"

_But it was so real, I saw what took Ella!_ Sheila wanted to retort back. Her eyes darted from her father's pained expression to her mother's and decided to stay silent. She nodded in response.

"I'll go make some tea, or something," she said and kick off the blankets, "don't worry 'bout me. Just a dream."

Sheila made her way down the stairs. She fumbled around in the dark kitchen (she didn't bother to turn on the lights) until she found a mug and a tea bag.

_Just a dream._ she chanted like a prayer in her mind, _just a dream._

"Was it? Just a dream?" a honeyed voice murmured. Sheila nearly dropped the kettle full of boiling water. She whipped her head around, trying to find the owner of the voice. Sheila was definitely alone in the kitchen. She breathed in slowly and tried to calm her heart thudding audibly against her ribs.

She set the steaming cup of tea on her bed side table and rubbed the tears from her face. She was tired of all this. Sheila was losing sleep over something she couldn't have controlled, but it still didn't make her feel any better since her best friend was missing, or probably dead. Her stomach dropped at the thought. Sheila exhaled slowly, her head in her hands.

"I see you're taking my little gift quite well," the same smooth voice breathed. Her green eyes snapped around, horrified to find a man lurking in the shadows. He stepped forward into the moonlight streaming in through the window, and Sheila felt her breath quicken. It was the man from her nightmare, right down to the cat-like eyes and the cloak made of shadows that flickered against his sickly colored skin.

"Pitch Black," she whispered. Pitch laughed fruitfully and clapped his hands together.

"Not to be boastful, but it is a talent of mine, nightmares," he chuckled and pretended to fidget with his fingernails. Pitch flicked his wrist and a cloud of black sand manifested in his palm. He brought his hand to his lips and blew softly. The grains of sand made contact with Sheila's eyes and immediately she heard Ella's shrieks ringing fresh in her ears. She fell to her knees, hands clasped over her ears.

"Stop. Stop! Make it stop, please!"

He waved his hand again, and Ella's voice subsided. Sheila regained her composure and rose slowly to her feet.

"What do you want?"

There was a pause before Pitch answered.

"You," he said simply. Sheila recoiled at the word.

"What? Why?"

The man laughed as if she had said something amusing. He paced across the floor, hands behind his back in thought.

"Leverage," Pitch mused, a smirk tugging at his lips. "you're fairly important to Jack, it seems, so I thought I'd take the opportunity,"

"We've known each other for only a few days!"

"Oh, no, Sheila. You're _more_ than that."

Sheila furrowed her brows at the words. Did he mean love?

"I...I don't know what you mean-"

"You're quite tiring to deal with, Sheila," Pitch snapped. "the point is I need you for something, understood?"

Sheila raised her head slightly, "I'm not going with you," The Boogeyman's eyes glinted dangerously at these words.

"That's not your choice to make, sweetheart," he stated in a clipped voice before he advanced towards her in an inhuman speed. He swished his robe around Sheila and then everything went black. Still and silent.

**A/N: I'm so sorry for the cliffhanger ending D: (*evil chuckle*) I hope you liked it! If you enjoyed make sure to leave a favorite, or drop a review/follow. Until next time, folks!**

**xoxo-LightArcher**


	8. Chapter 7

**A/N: Yay, thank you all so much for the positive feedback 3 you guys are amazing! After the last cliffhanger ending (sorry~) here's the next chapter! This one gets a bit intense as well, ooh~! As always, I hope you enjoy! :)**

Sheila blinked rapidly. All she saw was darkness, almost palpable. She squeezed her eyes shut and snapped them open once more. There was no difference if she opened or shut them, her surroundings were a black abyss, the same shade of ebony. She started to hyperventilate as sweat began to bead on her forehead. Her heart threatened to burst forth from her chest as it pounded relentlessly against her ribs.

And then, Sheila could see. It was as if a cloth had been removed over her eyes, and light gradually began to trickle back into her vision. She scrambled to a sitting position and hugged her knees tightly to her chest.

She was sitting in a large, suspended metal cage. Even through her sweatshirt and jeans, the cold of the metal seeped through her clothes. She trembled.

As her eyes continued to adjust and her heart returned to its normal rhythm, Sheila dragged herself to the edge of her cage and gripped the bars tightly. Despite the dimly lit cave-like room, she could make out five other cages, all aligned in a half arc. Of the five, two cages were empty. However, the two cages on either side of Sheila were occupied. To her left, an eerily familiar looking brunette lay unconscious.

"Ella?"

The girl stirred slightly but didn't come to.

"Oh, good. You're awake," said a voice behind her. Sheila spun around quickly. To the right of her cage was a girl who looked a few years older than herself, possibly about seventeen. She was very pretty. Jet black hair fell past her shoulders in loose waves. In contrast to her dark hair, she had beautiful grey eyes that gazed at Sheila in worry.

"I'm Aurora," she said and poked a well manicured hand through the bars. Sheila stretched out her own arm and shook it.

"Sheila"

Aurora smiled, revealing a set of brilliant white teeth. There was a brief silence before she broke it.

"So, um, what's..what's going on?"

Aurora exhaled sharply through her nose in slight amusement. "Good question," her face suddenly hardened before she drew in a breath and continued.

"Pitch has been trying to capture all of the Guardian's Keepers. Apparently, we're extremely valuable, and once he has all of us-" she stopped to gesture at the two empty cages at the far end of the arc, "he can hatch his "master plan", or so he's told me countless times,"

Sheila furrowed her brows as the information she had just received began to sink in.

"So..that means I'm a Keeper?"

Aurora nodded in response.

"Judging by your vibes, I'd say your Jack Frost's?"

"I guess, I had no idea I was a Keeper until now. How did you figure that out?"

She beamed and straightened her back proudly. "I've had this gift for a while. I'm really into reading Tarot cards and stuff like that. It helps me-escape from everything, is what I guess you could say," Aurora paused to bite her painted red lips. "my mom died a few years ago. Drunk driver smashed her car to smithereens. After that, I plunged into depression that..I'm still dealing with. Then, I started having these dreams. Really subtle at first; I'd see mom's smiling face or hear her calling my name, small things like that. Gradually, she started appearing like she was..still here. Still alive. I never wanted to wake up-not permanently, like dying, though I considered it in the past." she wiped a few stray tears away from her eyes with the back of her hand, "These dreams inspired me to take my depression in a new, positive direction." she giggled lightly before adding, "Keeper of Sandman, at your service,"

"Kudos to you, man," she said. Aurora grinned. Sheila liked this girl already. Although she had experienced a taste of loss through Ella, she concluded that was nothing compared to the loss of losing a parent. Aurora had such strength and courage for holding out on her own for so long.

"What about you? What's your story?" she asked. Sheila hesitated. What _was_ her story? She had no idea she had been Jack's Keeper until about five minutes ago.

Aurora, obviously sensing her confusion, reached for Sheila.

"Give me your hand,"

"What?"  
"Gimme your hand!"

She did as she was told, and slipped her hand through the bars of Aurora's cage. Her smooth fingers danced over her skin, tracing the thin lines of her palm in thought.

"You almost died as a child," she murmured to no one in particular, "you're near death experience is somehow connected with Jack," she said as she continued her reading, brows knit in concentration. Aurora blew out a breath loudly in defeat.

"You're incredibly complex, Sheila,"

She withdrew her hand, feeling confused as to why Aurora couldn't read her past.

"Hmph," Sheila responded and rubbed her palm. Her eyes flittered to Ella, who lay unmoving.

"You know her?" Aurora asked.

"Yeah. My best friend, she went missing a few days ago."

"I'm glad you found her now," she nodded simply, a far away look in her grey eyes.

Sheila scoffed, "Not like this. Trapped in these cages like animals? C'mon." she stopped, rather ashamed at her rude behavior.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have snapped like that at you,"

"No worries. It's a bit overwhelming, I know,"

Sheila smiled lightly before turning and burying her face in her knees. A few moments passed before she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. The room was filled with a sudden, low swishing sound. She heard Aurora gasp and looked up in time to see her scrambling on her hands and knees to the far corner of her cage. She didn't stop until her back hit the bars. She started to shake violently and clamped her hands over her ears, her eyes frozen with unspeakable horror.

"What is it? What's going on?"

Aurora failed to respond. Sheila glanced at Ella who still lay unmoving. The noise grew louder and louder until black sand started to swirl about Sheila's cage. In a matter of a few seconds, Pitch had manifested in front of her very eyes. Behind him, a shadow mare stomped proudly and blinked its beady yellow eyes, almost identical to the Boogeyman's.

"Making yourself at home, Sheila?" he purred in that honeyed voice of his. She pressed her lips in a tight line and refused to say a word. Pitch laughed.

"I'll take that as a 'yes'," he said, "You know, Jack is a particularly special friend of mine. Sure, we've had our quarrels, but we understand each other. But, despite our _close _relationship, it makes me wonder why he would do such a thing to hurt _you_, of all people,"

Sheila tried her best not to let her curiosity get the best of her, but failed when he brought up Jack.

"What do you mean?"

The man smirked when he captured her attention, "Tell me, why do you think it is he never brought up the fact that he was the one who nearly killed you in that snowstorm all those years ago? Just for kicks?"

Immediately, Sheila's mind snapped back to the conversation she had had with her parents regarding that same incident.

_We knew someone was watching over you, though, something protected our baby from harm_

"You're wrong!" she retorted, hands clenched into fists against her sides, "Jack was the one who saved-"

"Ah, but Sheila, he was the one who _conjured _ that storm. Or did you forget Jack Frost is winter itself? Pitch darted into the shadows and reappeared directly behind the now shaking girl. He bent down, his lips inches away from her ear, so close that she could smell his rotting breath.

"You're his Keeper because he almost killed you, Sheila."

**A/N: DUN DUN DUN! Okay, not really, I bet some of you figured it out! Anyway, next chapter should be up about next week (school's starting soon for me, kill me now) If you enjoyed make sure to leave a favorite, or drop a review/follow. Until next time, folks!**

**xoxo-LightArcher**


	9. Chapter 8

**A/N: We're starting to wind down on Sheila's journey :c only a few more chapters to go! I just want to thank each and every one of you that have stuck with this story, you guys are the best! 3 Okay, enough jibber jabber, on to the next chapter! **

Sheila was now trembling uncontrollably. Her green eyes threatened to spill over with tears, and her fists were clenched so tightly that her nails left small marks in the flesh of her palms. He had done it. Pitch had uttered the words that she had dreaded most.

Of course, she didn't want to believe any of it, immediately her mind tried to reject what he had just told her. But, slowly, the information began to sink in and click in place and the invisible gears in her brain began to work. When she had met Jack only a few days prior, he had acted as if they were complete strangers, meeting for the first time. But Sheila had dreamt about him, and now, thanks to Pitch, she now knew that Jack _must _have remembered, _must_ have known. Another tremor rocked her body.

Behind Sheila, Pitch towered above her, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. She knew that she was reacting the way he had hoped, but she couldn't help it. More than anything, she yearned to see Jack, to see his face. She wanted him to say that everything would be alright, that it was all just a big misunderstanding. He'd have a logical explanation. Then, she could return home. God, home. Her parents were probably hysterical that she was now missing, the same fate as Ella.

"Ah, don't take it too personally, my dear," Pitch cooed in mock sympathy as he gripped her shoulder tightly, his filthy fingernails digging into her skin, "I'm sure Jack can explain, although he's been pretending he hasn't known you for all this time,"

"Shut up," Sheila whispered.

"But, I still can't believe that he could be so _careless_-" he paused and vanished into the shadows before reappearing directly in front of her. He tilted Sheila's chin up with a single finger so that she was forced to look into his cold, yellow eyes, "and almost kill his own Keeper."

"_Shut up!_" she screamed and slapped his hand away. Pitch recoiled into the darkness and evaporated in a wisp of black smoke, along with his shadow mare. His foul cackle echoed off the walls and out of the corner of her eye, she saw Aurora sink lower against the bars of her cage.

"I'll be back with the other Keepers. Until then, sit tight."

The whirring sound picked back up again as Pitch departed from his lair. There was a pause of brief silence before Aurora's broken sobs could be heard. Sheila scrambled to the wall of her own cage and reached for the girl's hand.

"_St-stop! I'm sorry! Please, leave me alone!"_

"Aurora! Aurora, it's alright, he's gone! Settle down, you're going to be just fine," she said in a hushed, comforting voice, the same tone her mother had used when Sheila was smaller.

Aurora nodded and wiped at her eyes. She had calmed herself down a bit since the Boogeyman had left, but her breathing was still labored.

"It's...i-it's Pitch," she began and wrapped her arms around her legs, resting her chin on her knees, "whenever he's around us, my mind just goes...haywire. I have no control over it. He twists and manipulates with my head, doing whatever he damn well pleases. It's like some messed up radio station in my brain that won't shut off,"

Sheila drew her brows together in concern.

"And, it's the voices of everyone I've ever let down, reminding me of all the shit I've done. Most of them are dead, the ones I couldn't save in time," tears swelled to the brims of her eyes before they tumbled down her cheeks. She didn't move to brush them away.

"The worst part about it is I can hear my mother screaming for me," her voice wavered and she clenched her teeth in agony, "she's screaming and I can hear the car crashing-I can hear the whole thing. She's telling me how it's _my_ fault she died, that I shouldn't have let her get into the car. But it wasn't my fault!" Aurora glanced up from her knees to look at Sheila, her eyes puffy and bloodshot.

"It wasn't your fault," Sheila repeated softly and her heart shattered at the words.

_It wasn't your fault._

"It's like poison, Sheila," she continued, "every time he toys with my head I can feel it getting worse and worse. It's like my core is rotting from the inside-out. It's killing me." Immediately, Sheila's eyes flickered to Ella's body before resting back on Aurora.

"She's alive, don't worry,"

A wave of relief washed over her.

"I don't know how she does it," Aurora murmured, "You and Ella, you can handle this. You two are so strong. And I'm...I'm so weak," her voice broke and she started to sob once more. At that moment, all Sheila wanted to do was to break down the barriers between them and tackle her in a hug. She felt extremely protective of Aurora. No one deserved to go through such torture. The best she could do was squeeze her hand through their cages.

And then, she heard Ella cough.

Sheila whirled about in a blur, in time to see her friend stagger weakly to her hands and knees. She glanced back at Aurora, who flashed a ghost of a smile.

"Go see her," Aurora mouthed.

"Ella, Ella!"

Sheila practically ran to the edge of her cage, banging her hands against the bars. That name sounded so foreign. She tasted the word over in her mouth. It felt good to say it again. It felt more than good, it felt _amazing_, and here she was.

"Sheila?"

"Yeah, it's me!"

Ella struggled to a sitting position before staring at Sheila, long and hard.

"Oh, my god," she muttered.

"I...I-I thought you were dead," Sheila struggled to say as she felt her throat thicken with tears.

* * *

"So, your Jack's Keeper?"

"Mmhmm,"

"And you only figured that out when Aurora told you?"

"I guess you could say that."

Ella nodded in response and didn't press further on the subject.

"Well, _I'm_ Tooth's Keeper, you know,"

"Don't break your back with the pats, there, El," Sheila responded, "I know, Jack already told me,"

"Damn, I missed you, Sheila," she snickered.

"How _did_ you find out you were a Keeper?" Sheila questioned and leaned back on her arms.

"I've had an idea for a while now, actually. Remember when my dad lost his job at the beginning of the recession back in '08?"

She nodded.

"Well, Tooth started leaving us generous amounts of money to help us out," Ella bit her lip at the memory.

"Oh, yeah. I saw the money underneath all your pillows. That makes sense."

Her friend immediately tensed up.

"You broke into my house?"

"Oh, nonono!" Sheila held up her palms in defense, "after you went missing, your mom let me come see your house and-"

"Anyway," she continued, a slight smirk on her face, "Tooth started visiting more and more often, until she let me paint her,"

"Right. I saw that painting-" Sheila clasped both hands over her mouth, but it was too late. The words had already left her lips and the same suspicious expression returned to Ella's face.

"So, you _did_ break into my room..." she laughed and brushed her dark hair from her eyes, "I'm just teasing. I wouldn't care if you did. Listen," Ella continued and leaned forward on her knees, "when we get out of this mess, I'll paint another picture, okay? A better one."

**A/N: :c Aurora..so, I start school on Tuesday so hopefully I'll be able to update soon but if I don't before then, I ****_promise_**** I'll get around to it, I just need some time :) If you enjoyed make sure to leave a favorite, or drop a review/follow. Until next time, folks!**

**xoxo-LightArcher**


	10. Chapter 9

**A/N: Hello, again, my dears! School is now in full swing and lemme tell you it sucks :c I hardly have anytime anymore to write! (and the homework load dear lord) But have no fear, I will still update whenever I can, I will NOT abandon you! Enough with the excuses, let's get back to the story!**

After the three girls had all been caught up, (which mostly involved Ella and Sheila) the discussion turned to their plan of escape.

"How long is Pitch usually gone for?" Sheila asked as she swept her vision along the perimeter of her cage.

"It depends, really," Aurora responded, "Like, when he came back with Ella, it had almost been a week, I think.."

"You were here for a week by yourself?" said Ella, her voice high with disbelief.

"Mmhmm. It sucked. I almost started pulling those stunts that Bear Grylls does on _Man vs Wild_, if you know what I mean," she said with a smirk. "but I was able to adapt. I guess that's one of the perks of being a depressed medium," she winked. Ella chuckled but Sheila felt the subject too touchy for humor.

"So I guess we'll just have to wait and see, huh?" she murmured. She saw Ella glance at her from the corner of her eye and Aurora seemed to slump slightly against the bars. Sheila heard her utter something that sounded awfully like 'fish in a barrel'. She wondered if Ella had heard her.

"Oh, duh!" Aurora exclaimed suddenly and smacked her palm against her forehead like she had just remembered something important. Fishing around in the smooth plaits of her raven black hair, she pulled out a small, dark colored object. A bobby pin. Sheila's heart soared at her intelligence.

Without wasting a second, she saw Aurora shimmy up the bars nimbly with the pin between her teeth. She removed it from her mouth and fiddled with something beyond Sheila's field of vision. After a few grunts and curses, she landed gracefully with the audible squeaking of loose screws to justify her mission as successful.

"Nice," Sheila grinned.

Aurora tipped an invisible hat before handing the bobby pin to her. Following her example, Sheila climbed the sides slowly until she reached the bars of metal that arched across the ceiling of her cage. She traced the bar until she found where it met the screws and set to work, slowly unscrewing them with the barrette.

"Make sure not to loosen them too much," Aurora instructed, "otherwise the whole thing will fall apart and, well," she paused to glance at the cave floor, "that would hurt, a _lot_,"

Sheila nodded her head and climbed back down slowly.

"Home free," she said to Ella and reached out to slide the clip between the bars. But to her horror, Ella's fingers fumbled with the precious metal thing and it slipped through her grasp. It landed with a chiming sound that echoed through the entire cave. The three girls stared at it in silence before Ella grabbed at her own hair in frustration.

Just then, the familiar spine-chilling whirring sound returned. Sheila glanced quickly to her right and saw Aurora tense up once more.

"You can do this!" she said to her. Aurora smiled weakly back in response. The eerie wind started to pick up and Pitch Black appeared with a swish of his cloak, shadow mare at his side. There was an unconscious boy in his arms. He looked to be about the same age as Sheila, although it was hard to tell since his mop of dark hair covered most of his facial features. Pitch moved to the two remaining empty cages and placed the Keeper inside one, slamming the door shut.

"Oversized-rabbit's Keeper check," he cackled as if he was crossing off a grocery list. He spun on his heel, advancing toward the girls. "No offense, but the Guardians are doing a very poor job at protecting you lot,"

Not one of them said a word in response, which obviously didn't satisfy the Boogeyman. He wanted a reaction.

"What do _you_ think Aurora? Do you think your precious little Guardians are coming to rescue you?" he placed a finger under her chin. Aurora started to tremble and a smirk crossed Pitch's lips. The girl took a few seconds to retort, and despite the fact that she was shaking, her voice came clear and firm.

"Yes,"

Pitch's face fell.

"I don't know why kidnapping kids seems to be your kinda gig, but what I _do _know is that when they come, they won't show mercy. You're messing with some bad mojo to be capturing their Keepers. You're the one that should be scared, not us,"

The man's yellow eyes narrowed and he grit his teeth.

"Oh, no. _I_ will be the victor today, my dear." he spat, "I am tired of being in the Guardians' shadow!" he paused to chuckle at his own pun. "_I _will put _them_ in their place," Aurora had started to tremble slightly once more and he stopped his speech. The sound of squeaking screws filled the silence.

Pitch's face contorted with rage before it softened slightly, a wicked smile spreading over his face.

"Have a nice fall, girls. I'm sure Jack won't mind the change in season."

Sheila cocked her head slightly in confusion until she had understood what he meant. She stole a glance at Aurora. She understood as well.

There was an awful groaning sound and Sheila felt the cage shudder violently before the floor gave way beneath her. Metal crashed all around her and she had the sensation of weightlessness. She imagined this was what flying felt like, except, you know, less life threatening. Those few seconds seemed like an eternity as the ground rushed up to meet her.

Her body met the hard earth and she felt the air squeeze out of her lungs with an _oof _as her back smacked against the ground. Sheila instinctively tumbled, doing her best to transfer her weight away from her arms as not to break them. The two cages crashed against the cave floor with a boom that resembled thunder. She lay on her side for a minute as the sound subsided, coughing and hacking as she tried to catch her breath. She peered at Aurora who was now laying on her back, motionless. Sheila staggered to her hands and knees and crawled toward her.

"Aurora," she spluttered and shook her hard. She groaned and rolled to her side, clutching at her ribs. Sheila let out a breath in relief. She was alive. Hurt, but alive.

**A/N: I just cranked this out in under an hour, I'm totally getting into this! I think I'll be able to write the next chapter later tonight after I eat some dinner, so keep an eye out for that! If you enjoyed make sure to leave a favorite, or drop a review/follow. Until next time, folks!**

**xoxo-LightArcher**


	11. Chapter 10

**A/N: I'm sensing about two more chapters :c Sheila's story will be coming to a close very soon. You guys are the best! Okay, I'm still on a kick from last chapter, so I'm able to write this one very quickly :D This chapter gets pretty intense so be warned, I guess? Here we go!**

But something wasn't right. Aurora was still gripping her side, her face contorted with pain.

"Oh, my god. Are you two okay?!" Ella's voice called from above.

"Uh huh," Sheila lied. With shaking hands, she gently pushed Aurora's tightly clenched fists away from her side and inhaled sharply at the sight. A piece of what looked like a small metal bar had lodged itself into her body. It stuck out from above her hip, protruding like an old bone. Dark, fresh blood now stained her clothes and they stuck against her skin.

Sheila's mind raced. She _needed_ to get that thing _out._ She moved to pull out the pipe, which resulted in a wet, squelching sound. Aurora cried out and she arched her back in agony.

"_I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry._" Sheila found herself chanting. Aurora coughed and blood gurgled from her lips.

"I'm fine," she mumbled weakly and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, "just stings a bit," Sheila knew that was a lie. From the looks of it, she was surprised Aurora hadn't already lost consciousness.

"We need to get you outta here, we need to get you some help," Sheila declared and scooped her up, wrapping her arm around her own neck.

"What?" Aurora huffed, "and leave these two here?"

"We aren't leaving them," she grunted back in response and threw a glance over her shoulder to look at the two remaining cages, still suspended. Ella had a look of heartache in her eyes but nodded slightly. "when we get you somewhere safe we can figure out how to call the Guardians." Aurora chuckled faintly.

"_Who you gonna call?_"

Sheila decided to move towards what looked like a tunnel opening, a good thirty feet away from them. Aurora didn't put much weight on her at first. But, by the time they had almost reached the opening, she could hardly stand without Sheila's support. Her breathing came in short, fast bursts and finally she collapsed. Immediately, she tried to stand up again but Sheila held her down.

"Rest," she commanded and she obeyed. Aurora was mumbling something to herself with eyes half closed. It took Sheila a second to realize that she was trying to tell her something.

"I'm not gonna make it, Sheila,"

"Shut up. Yes you are," she said firmly.

"I'm weak. C'mon, look at me, man," Aurora frowned. Her face was draining color quickly.

"You'll be fine," Sheila's tone hardened and she bit her lip, "stop talking like that, okay?"

"Okay," Aurora murmured and closed her eyes. Sheila was alarmed at this and was about to shake her when she heard her slow, wet breathing. She sighed in relief. Sheila was contemplating whether she should try and drag her the rest of the way when the familiar, eerie wind returned. The volume increased to the point where Sheila thought her eardrums would burst and then Pitch appeared once more, another child in his arms. A boy, unconscious of course.

"What a freakin' pedophile," Aurora grumbled as she opened her eyes. He didn't seem to hear.

After he put the final Keeper in his cage, he laughed with great triumph and twirled about.

"I've done it, I've done it!" he cried and clasped his hands together in giddy. Pitch danced about like a small child before he finally composed himself. His gaze fell to the pair and he snickered.

"So close, yet so far," he taunted before he glanced at Aurora. "You've got a..erm-" he gestured to his hip, "a little something there, sweetheart," Pitch finished sarcastically, turning on his heel to the three cages.

"What do you want with us?!" Bunnymund's Keeper demanded.

"_So_ glad you asked, Nathan. I was just about to explain." he said, "I've been weak ever since the Dark Age ended centuries ago. Meanwhile, you're iconic Guardians have been at the top of the food chain, wielding their stupid powers and hardly leaving anyone for _me_," he fumed, "well, I'm tired of all this. All of this..drama between us, really. That's why I've decided I'm going to destroy them. And, enter stage right, the Keepers! Psst, that's where you guys get involved, Nathan, just in case you couldn't get that through that thick skull of yours," Pitch jeered and tapped his own temple.

"You see, each of you are special in your own unique way. And, since most of you are adolescent, moody, disrespectful, self-loathing-"

"You've gotta be kidding," said the other boy.

"You just proved my point, Red. It's rude to interrupt someone when they're trying to reveal their master plan. As I was saying, I thought to myself, what would I want to do with all that power? Well, first, I'm going to use you to destroy your little protectors, which they've done a bang-up job in doing, by the way. You're their weakness, after all. And then, after you're all gone, I can cloak this world in darkness and bring about a new beginning. Imagine! A world, free of corruption!"

"You're corruption in its purest form, Pitch,"

He turned slowly and glared at Aurora. Pitch strode toward her and slapped her once across the face. She yelped and her split lip began oozing blood once more.

"Very rude, Aurora, very rude. I'm trying to _help_ the world, can't you see?"

She responded by spitting her bloody saliva at his feet. The Boogeyman's expression suddenly became grave, and at that moment, she knew Aurora had made a huge mistake.

"However, your words ring true, Aurora. I _am_ corrupt. Shall I demonstrate?" and then Pitch snapped his fingers.

Her smug look disappeared immediately and was replaced by one of excruciating pain. She howled and suddenly keeled over. Aurora's mouth was agape, her breath coming in choked, rapid sobs. Her back arched as spasm after spasm rocked her body.

"_I'm sorry! I'm s-sorry!_" Aurora screamed as the untold horrors of her past haunted her once more. Her fingers stabbed into Sheila's skin.

"Aurora! No! You can fight this!" she cried as she brushed Aurora's sweaty hair away from her eyes.

"N-no. No! I can't!" she gasped as she spasmed again. She groped the air for Sheila as her lips struggled to form words.

"I-I can't fight this! It hurts too much, please! Make it stop!" she begged. She was convulsing in Sheila's arms.

Sheila shook her head slightly. What could she do?

"I'm right here, it's alright! It's okay. You're okay!"

The psychic started to cry, hot tears flooding down her dirt-streaked face.

"Sheila! Please! I can't!"

From underneath Aurora's skin, black energy began to course through her body, wrapping around her like dark vines. Her screaming intensified as her Nightmares began to work up to her head, until finally, the dark energy began to coil around her temples. She felt Aurora's grip weaken slightly and her shaking became less violent. Her eyes became out of focus and she was no longer looking at Sheila.

"Hey, Aurora! Stay with me!"

At the sound of her voice, Aurora's eyes flickered back to her face and she smiled, her blood-stained teeth the same tint as her lipstick.

"_Im sorry, Sheila,_" she breathed and her face softened as her muscles relaxed. She was still.

**A/N: LOUD SOBBING IN THE DISTANCE OMFG YOU DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THE LAST PART TOOK ME TO WRITE! Next chapter should be out next weekend c: If you enjoyed make sure to leave a favorite, or drop a review/follow. Until next time, folks!**

**xoxo-LightArcher**


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